吹小號的天鵝 第90期:自由(4)

The Head Man smiled. He knew just what Louismeant.

負責人的臉上露出了微笑。他明白路易斯的意思了。

For a while the two remained silent. Louis put histrumpet aside.

他們沉默了片刻。然后路易斯放下他的小號。

Then he wrote: "I ask two favors.

他接著寫道：“我請你幫我兩個忙。

First, put off the operation on Serena until afterChristmas --I'll guarantee she won't try to escape.

第一，把塞蕾娜的手術推遲到圣誕節(jié)后——我保證她不會企圖逃走的。

Second, let me send a telegram."

第二，給我拍一封電報。”

"O.k., Louis," replied the Head Man. And he handed Louis a sheet of paper and a pencil.

“OK，路易斯，”這個負責人回答。她遞給路易斯一張紙和一枝鉛筆。

Louis wrote out a telegram to Sam Beaver. It said:

路易斯給薩姆寫了一份電報。上面是這么寫的：

Am In The Philadelphia Zoo. This Is An Emergency. Come At Once.

我在費城動物園。情況緊急。速來。

I Will Pay Your Plane Fare. Am Now Wealthy. (Signed) Louis

我給你付機票錢。我現(xiàn)在闊了。路易斯(簽名)

He handed the telegram to the Head Man along with four dollars from his money bag. TheHead Man was astounded.

他把電報遞給這個負責人，又從他的錢袋里拿出四美元給了他。負責人很驚訝。

In all his days at the Zoo, this was the first time one of his birds had asked him to send atelegram.

他在這個動物園呆了這么久，還是第一次遇上他管轄的一只鳥兒請求他發(fā)電報這碼事兒呢。

And of course he didn't know who Sam Beaver was.

他當然不知道薩姆·比弗到底是誰。

But he sent the wire and ordered his keepers to let Serena alone for a few days--which theywere glad to do. Louis thanked him and left.

可他還是拍了電報，又命令他的管理員們這幾天內都不得去打擾塞蕾娜--他們也樂意這么做。

He returned to Serena, and they spent the day happily together,

路易斯謝過他后就離開了。他回到塞蕾娜身邊，他們一起幸福地度過了這一天，

bathing, swimming, eating, drinking, and showing each other in a thousand small ways howmuch they loved each other.

他們洗浴，游泳，吃喝，彼此通過上千種小動作來表示他們之間的愛有多深。

Sam arrived at the Zoo on the day after Christmas. He was equipped as though he were goinginto the woods.

薩姆是在圣誕節(jié)后的第二天來到動物園的?？催^他那副裝備你會以為他正在森林中探險呢。

Under one arm was a sleeping bag, neatly rolled.

一只胳膊下面夾著一只卷得很齊整的睡袋。

On his back was a rucksack containing his toothbrush, his comb,

背上抗著一個旅行袋，里面裝著他的牙刷，梳子，

a clean shirt, a hand ax, a pocket compass, his notebook, a pencil, and some food.

一件干凈的襯衫，一把手斧，一個袖珍羅盤，還有他的日記本，一枝鋼筆和一些食物。

In his belt was a hunting knife. Sam was fourteen now and big for his age.

他的腰帶上還插著一把獵刀。薩姆現(xiàn)在有十四歲了，樣子要比他的同齡人成熟得多。

He had never seen a large zoo. He and Louis were overjoyed to see each other again. Louisintroduced Sam to Serena.

他以前從沒見過這么大的動物園。他與路易斯在重逢時都感到欣喜若狂。

Then he opened his moneybag and showed Sam his earnings:

路易斯向塞蕾娜介紹了薩姆。然后他打開他的錢袋，給薩姆看他掙來的錢：

hundred-dollar bills, fifty-dollar bills, twenty-dollar bills, tens, fives, ones, and some silver coins--a great pile.

很多張面額為一百美元的，五十美元的，二十美元的，十美元的，五美元的，一美元的鈔票，還有一些銀幣--真是老大一堆呢。

"Goodness!" thought Sam. "I hope she's not marrying him for his money."

“上帝呀!”薩姆想，“我希望她不是為了他的錢才嫁給他的。”